Borussia Dortmund were a big disappointment last season and they’ll be looking to make more of an impact in this campaign

Borussia Dortmund were a big disappointment last season and they’ll be looking to make more of an impact in this campaign, starting with a DFB Pokal win over Rot-Weiss Essen.

The Bundesliga giants were feeling pretty positive about themselves a year ago, having come within a whisker of winning the Champions League after losing to Real Madrid in the showpiece.

They made a decent enough start, winning four of their first five games, but couldn’t build on that and had fallen to 11th place in the German top flight by the time Nico Kovac replaced Nuri Sahin in February.

Kovac did a superb job, masterminding a revival that saw Borussia eventually finish in fourth place, and he’ll now be out to make a big impact in his first full season.

It would be a surprise if they slipped up in this cup tie, with Rot-Weiss Essen playing in the third tier of German football.

Essen have been a team in decline since their 1950s heyday but they now seem to be on the up again and will be hoping to claim a famous victory.

These sides have faced off just nine times before and Borussia Dortmund have yet to taste defeat, with six wins and three draws. They last faced off in the DFB Pokal back in 2008, with the top-flight side winning 3-1 in Essen.

Borussia Dortmund are still without crocked defensive duo Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule while veteran Emre Can and youngster Julien Duranville are doubts.

Marek Janssen and Nicolai Schulte-Kellinghaus look set to miss out for Rot-Weiss Essen.

Rott-Weiss Essen: Golz, Brumme, Kostka, Kraulich, Schulz, Bazzoli, Moustier, Arsian, Mizuta, Obuz, Potocnik.

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Anton, Bensebaini, Couto, Brandt, Bellingham, Sabitzer, Svensson, Ryerson, Guirassy, Adeyemi.